We’re working with a technology company building high-performance backend platforms, and we’re looking for an experienced Senior Python Backend Engineer to join the team on an initial 4-month contract.

Senior Python Backend Engineer

£550/day | Outside IR35 | 4 Months | Hybrid (Watford)

This is a hands-on engineering role focused on designing, building and improving production backend services.

This is NOT an AI, Data Engineering or Cloud Engineering position.

What you’ll be doing

• Designing and building production Python backend services using FastAPI
• Developing scalable REST APIs and distributed backend systems
• Working with event-driven architectures using technologies such as Kafka or RabbitMQ
• Improving performance, reliability and maintainability of existing services
• Collaborating with experienced backend engineers on architecture and code quality
• Writing clean, well-tested Python code using modern engineering practices

What we’re looking for

• Strong commercial Python development experience
• Commercial experience with FastAPI (or extensive modern Python API development)
• Experience designing and maintaining production REST APIs
• Background working with microservices and distributed systems
• Experience with messaging technologies such as Kafka, RabbitMQ or similar
• Strong SQL/database knowledge
• Experience with Pytest and automated testing
• Comfortable debugging and improving existing production code

Nice to have

• Async Python (AsyncIO)
• Docker
• Kubernetes
• PostgreSQL
• SQLAlchemy
• Time-series or event-driven platforms

This role isn’t right if…

• Your recent experience is primarily AI / LLM / RAG / Agentic AI
• You’re mainly a Data Engineer
• You’re primarily a Cloud/DevOps Engineer
• You’re an Architect or Manager looking for a leadership role rather than hands-on coding

We’re looking for someone who enjoys solving backend engineering problems and writing production Python every day.

If you’re an experienced Python Backend Engineer looking for your next contract, I’d love to hear from you.

• Seniority Level
• Mid-Senior level
• Industry
• Information Technology & Services
• Employment Type
• Contract
• Job Functions
• Information Technology
• Skills
• FastAPIDevOpsTest AutomationApplication Programming Interfaces (API)DatabasesApache KafkaLeadershipEvent-drivenDebuggingE